Hanover's Halloween parade boasted more than 400 floats and thousands of visitors last year and planners from the Hanover Area Jaycees hope to match that number in 2014 through new digital efforts.

Starting Sept. 1, businesses, organizations and community members can register a float for the 73rd annual parade through a downloadable form via hanoverhalloweenparade.com, said William Gill, president of the Hanover Area Jaycees.

"We are actively working on innovative ways to allow more people to participate in the parade," Gill said of the Oct. 30 event. "It's the community's parade, so we want to make it easier for them to get involved."

The Jaycees also developed a new parade website and Hanover Halloween Parade Facebook page, in addition to the online registration form. These digital avenues make it easier for people to ask questions, find applicable materials and sign up to volunteer, Gill said.

With thousands of people expected and the float count in the hundreds, you can never have enough volunteers, he added.

Though a number of the planning positions are already filled, the Jaycees are still looking for volunteers to help with pre-parade prep and manpower on Oct. 30, Gill said.

The Jaycees have also created additional sponsorship opportunities, adding prize and float sponsorships along with the previously available parade sections. It allows businesses to give back to their community in a visible and fun way, Gill said.

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"I think the parade harkens back to the older days of Hanover, where everyone would gather downtown and connect with the community," Gill said. "It's a great opportunity to get involved and really have some face-to-face time with what makes Hanover great."

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